Can you activate a Rogers iphone with Bell in Canada

[Genuine]

[EVERYTHING HERE IS IN CANADA and im LIVING IN CANADA]

Hello, I am buying a second hand iPhone. It will be either 3G or 3GS (most likely 3GS).

Now, if this is a Rogers iPhone will I be able to unlock it with a PC program and use it with Bell. I understand that Bell has a new type of network? I called them up and they said that I would be able to use a "grey listed" iphone that is unlocked with their SIM cards VOICE & TEXT only, however I wont be able to use any Data Plan. (He couldnt totally confirm that I would not be able to get a data plan 100%). He also told me that a Rogers phone, or a non-Bell phone is not equipped with the technology required to use their data network. I am asking you people, with experience, if there is any way I can get it working with a data plan (internet).

On the second hand, would I be able to register it with a Rogers Pay-as-you-Go plan and use their data add-on / plans?

Please reply ASAP! I will also update this with any changes on what company iphone it is!

 

[Genuine]

Please help!

 

[justalex]

I'm wondering about this as well. I just bought a phone from Rogers without thinking thru this step and I need to visit a Bell store tomorrow. Anyone have an answer?

 

[itou]

no.

to use the iphone with data, you must be enrolled in a iphone data plan.
bell will not allow you to use their iphone data plan without you buying their own iphone. that's how they get you to buy their device.

taking it back to rogers though, a completely different story.

 

[Zargari]

As long as it's unlocked and either a 3g or 3gs, yes you can. Bell is now running on both CDMA and GSM so you can unlock any 3g GSM phone and take it over to bell.
Legally Bell cannot say they can guarantee your data to work, only your voice and SMS services. But it will fully work.

Edit: If it was a case of bell not allowing you to use data without buying the phone from them, then rogers would have stopped original iphone users from using the data on their phones when canadians had to buy iphone 2g the US.
I used to work for both Bell and Rogers and I can guarantee that they will give you a bell sim card and activate it on whatever plan you want. Just make sure the phone's unlocked.
Second edit: If you're living in Manitoba or Sask, it will not work as the bell GSM network isn't active there yet. They haven't struck a deal with MTS or Sasktel to complete it but it should be up and running by mid 2010.

 

[dougzasax]

Thanks for this Zarari

This has been my experience today, however it appears that Bell's statement that it may or may not work is correct.

I unlocked my Rogers phone, installed the Bell SIM card, changed the settings according to Bell's online instructions to enable the data to work (which their tech pointed me to) and when the phone is re-set, it still only works for voice and MMS. With all those settings changed, I still get the message on the phone that says I don't have data capability.

Have you come across any additional information? I really need to get off Rogers so I have a properly working phone!

 

[Zargari]

I've read somewhere that resetting the iphone will actually reset the APN settings. So go back in and make sure that it's still configured. If it's not, reconfigure it and then take note that whenever you turn off or reset your phone, you'll have to reenter that information. It's a hassle but it's a small price to pay to get off of Rogers.

Some other people in other forums are also saying that waiting for 24 hours for the data flow to kick in is doing it for them. While others are reporting that connecting the phone to itunes with your bell sim in it will prompt itunes to update your carrier settings. Doing so should fix the problem.
If none of that works then I'd suggest restoring the phone, re jailbreaking/hacktivating it, and re unlocking it. Maybe something during that process went wrong.